Combination can-opener tool

ABSTRACT

A combination can opener-type tool is essentially made from a single stamping. The combination tool comprises at one end a bottle opener and can piercer facing in opposite directions and separated by a lid opener which lies substantially in the main plane of the tool. The intermediate section of the tool includes a cut-out portion with gripping edges which serves as an opening device for various bottles and the like, a raised mounting portion about which a corkscrew is hinged and a pair of projecting guards extending outwardly therefrom which also may be used for peeling potatoes and the like. The other end of the tool includes a can opening portion including a piercing and cutting blade and a vegetable peeler.

United States Patent 1191 Cantales Get. 7, 1975 COMBINATION CAN-OPENER TOOL [22] Filed: Sept. 3, 1974 [21] Appl. No.: 502,402

[52] U.S. Cl. 7/14.25; 8l/3.1 R

Primary ExaminerAl Lawrence Smith Assistant Examiner-Roscoe V. Parker Attorney, Agent, or FirmSpellman & Joel [57] ABSTRACT A combination can opener-type tool is essentially made from a single stamping. The combination tool comprises at one end a bottle opener and can piercer facing in opposite directions and separated by a lid opener which lies substantially in the main plane of the tool. The intermediate section of the tool includes a cut-out portion with gripping edges which serves as an opening device for various bottles and the like, a raised mounting portion about which a corkscrew is hinged and a pair of projecting guards extending outwardly therefrom which also may be used for peeling potatoes and the like. The other end of the tool in cludes a can opening portion including a piercing and cutting blade and a vegetable peeler.

7 Claims, 3 Drawing Figures US. Patent Oct. 7,1975 3,909,860

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a kitchen or cutlery type tool and particularly to combination can'opener type tool which is essentially manufactured from a single stamping.

The prior art includes various combination type tools which are generally manufactured from one'or more parts in a rather complicated series of steps. Typical prior art arrangements are disclosed in US. Pat. Nos. 1,956,405 to Toma'n, 2,434,212 to Ippolito,-3,142,903 to Stiller, and 3,389,412 to Einmons. These patents fail to disclose the precise combination tool structure of the present invention and are manufactured in a less expeditious and more costly operation. The US. Pat. No. 1,374,356 to Welsh and 2,637,584-to Atkinson are merely of interest'for their disclosure of manufacturing composite articles from a metal blank.

The advantages of a tool which performs the functions of a peeler, a conventional can piereer, cork screw, can opener and top remover are readily apparent since only one such tool is necessary in a kitchen rather than a plurality of separate tools; A singletool of the type comprising the present invention is thereby cutting the expense and is less expensive to purchase and permits greater flexibility and time saving. While the broad concept of-such tools has been disclosed in prior art, none of the prior art disclosures are pertinent to the present invention which may be essentially manufactured from a single stamping. The prior art patents citedabove are merely'in'tended to include representative patents of interest and are not intended to be an all-inclusive list of prior art patents.

SUMMARY O THE INVENTION The present invention pertains to a combination can opener-type tool which" is essentially manufactured from a single stamping. The tool comprises at one end a bottle opener, lid opener and can piercer. The intermediate section of the tool includes a cut out portion having the plurality of internal teeth which function as a lid remover, an outwardly extending mounting portion to which a cork screw may be mounted and a pair of outwardly projecting guards which may alsofunction as a potato peeler, etc. The other end of the tool includes a conventional can opener arrangement including a piercing and cutting blade and a guide element which rests on the lip of the can and a curved portion having an elongated cutaway section with sharpened edges to serve as a vegetable peeler.

Accordingly, an object of this invention is to provide a new and improved combination-type tool particularly for kitchen use.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Other objects and advantages of this invention may be seen from the following description when viewed in conjunction with the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIG. I-is a pIITVIC W' ofthe stampingfrom which-the presentinvention' is assembledg- 1 I 7 FIG. 2 is a perspective view ofithe 'co mbinat ion can opener-type tool comprising the present invention;

and, r I FIG. 3 is a side view'of the invention in elevation.- I

DETAILED DESCRIPTION o H DRAWINGS" FIG. 1 depicts a blank which has been initially formed by a punch and die and which will be shaped into the tool of FIGS. 2 and 3 in subsequent forming operations. The advantages of the tool 10 are readily' apparent since the entire tool 10 may be shaped by a progressive punch and diearrangement in an automatic feed and assembly sequence eliminating the need for separate assembly operations which would add substantially to the cost of the tool. i i i x The combination tool 10 of the present invention comprises at one end a bottle opener I2 including a projecting lip l3 for insertion beneath the and a curved end portion 14 which contacts the upper surface of the bottle cap and establishes a pivot point for movement of the tool 10.

A lid opener 16 is located between the bottle opener 14 and a can piercer 17. The lid opener 16 remains in the plane ofthe blank 11 shown in FIG. 1 while the. bottle opener 1 4 and the can piercer 17 are folded on either side of the lid opener during the manufacturing operation. The lid opener 16 includes an outwardlye tending portion 18 and an end portion 19 at rightahgles thereto. The can picrcer 17 faces in the opposite direction to lidopener 14 and includes a pointed outer end 21..for piercing can surfacesand a lip'22 which contacts the raised edge of a can for purposes of lever age. w m v 1 The intermediate section of the tool 10 includes a lid or top' remover 23 having curved wall portions 24 and 26 and internal tooth portions 27 and 28 on opposite walls thereof. The internal teeth 27 and 28 function as a lid remover when a bottle of a substance such as nail polish is inserted therein and gripped by the teeth 27 and 28. The intermediate section of the tool 10 also includes a pair of outwardly extending projections 29 and 31, the edges of which may also function as a peeler particularly in the case of the projection 31. In addi tion, projections 29 and 31 also serve as guards or grips during the use of tool 10.

The walls 35 and 36 are formed closely together at their respective ends 45 and 46 to provide an outwardly extending mounting portion having an aperture 32 which serves as a mounting for a cork screw 33. The cork screw 33 may be mounted in a separate operation by means of a pin 34 if it is desired to have the flexibility of this particular element included in the tool 10. The cork screw 33 is recessed between walls 35 and 36 so that it is not in the way of other portions of the tool 10 during the operation thereof.

The other end of the tool 10 comprises a can opener 37 including a cutting and piercing blade 38 and a guide portion 39 which rests on the top of the can. This end also includes a curved upper surface 41 having a recess 42 therein with sharpened edges 43 and 44 to serve as a vegetable peeler.

The eombinationttool described above provides a high degree of utility flexibility without the use of separate tools. Furthermore, since only one tool is required, the over-all expense of purchasing a single tool rather than a plurality of separate tools is much lower. As an additional advantage, since the tool is manufactured essentially from a single stamping, there are considerable economies in the manufacture thereof.

While the invention has been explained by a detailed description of certain specific embodiments, it is understood that various modifications and substitutions can be made in any of them within the scope of the appended claims which are intended also to include equivalents of such embodiments.

What is claimed is:

1. A combination can opener-type tool made from a single stamping comprising: i

a bottle opener and can piercer facing in opposite directions at one end of the stamping and a lid opener separating the bottle opener and a can piercer which extend downwardly from the plane of the lid opener;

an intermediate portion of the stamping including an aperture having internal teeth on at least one wall thereof to facilitate opening bottles;

at least one guard means projecting outwardly from the intermediate portion for gripping purposes; and

a can opener having a piercing and cutting element and a guide element spaced therefrom and a curved portion coupled to said guide portion, said curved portion having an elongated aperture therein with cutting surfaces on elongated walls thereof. I

2. A combination can opener-type tool in accordance with claim 1 wherein:

one edge of the bottle opener and of the can piercer are joined respectively to opposite edges of the lid opener and extend at substantially a right angle therefrom to form a wall portion for gripping purposes.

3. A combination can opener-type tool in accordance with claim 2 wherein:

the guard means comprises a pair of outwardly extending projections in planes substantially 90 apart, said means having sharpened edges which 5 may be used for peeling purposes.

4. A combination can opener-type tool made from a single stamping in accordance with claim 2 further ineluding:

an inwardly formed portion having opposed apertures on the ends of the wall portion comprising the bottle opener and can piercer, a cork screw positioned between said walls and means joining the cork screw to said wall portions, said means extending between the opposed apertures.

5. A combination can opener-type tool made from a single stamping in accordance with claim 2 wherein:

the bottle opener includes a lip and a curved portion at the end thereof for leverage, the can piercer ineludes a pointed end surface and a lip portion and the lid remover includes a portion projection outwardly from the stamping and an end portion at right angles thereto.

6. A combination can opener-type tool made from a single stamping in accordance with claim 1 wherein:-

the curved portion coupled to the guide portion of the can opener is joined thereto by unitary coupling portions at one end and at an intermediate portion of said curved portion, said elongated aperspaced a predetermined distance above the guide portion. 7

7. A combination can opener-type tool made from a single stamping in accordance with claim 2 further including:

pin means extending between the wallsformed by the bottle opener and can piercer and a rotatable cork screw having one end mounted to said cork screw normally nesting between said walls when not in use.

ture being designed for peeling purposes and being 

1. A combination can opener-type tool made from a single stamping comprising: a bottle opener and can piercer facing in opposite directions at one end of the stamping and a lid opener separating the bottle opener and a can piercer which extend downwardly from the plane of the lid opener; an intermediate portion of the stamping including an aperture having internal teeth on at least one wall thereof to facilitate opening bottles; at least one guard means projecting outwardly from the intermediate portion for gripping purposes; and a can opener having a piercing and cutting element and a guide element spaced therefrom and a curved portion coupled to said guide portion, said curved portion having an elongated aperture therein with cutting surfaces on elongated walls thereof.
 2. A combination can opener-type tool in accordance with claim 1 wherein: one edge of the bottle opener and of the can piercer are joined respectively to opposite edges of the lid opener and extend at substantially a right angle therefrom to form a wall portion for gripping purposes.
 3. A combination can opener-type tool in accordance with claim 2 wherein: the guard means comprises a pair of outwardly extending projections in planes substantially 90* apart, said means having sharpened edges which may be used for peeling purposes.
 4. A combination can opener-type tool made from a single stamping in accordance with claim 2 further including: an inwardly formed portion having opposed apertures on the ends of the wall portion comprising the bottle opener and can piercer, a cork screw positioned between said walls and means joining the cork screw to said wall portions, said means extending between the opposed apertures.
 5. A combination can opener-type tool made from a single stamping in accordance with claim 2 wherein: the bottle opener includes a lip and a curved portion at the end thereof for leverage, the can piercer includes a pointed end surface and a lip portion and the lid remover includes a portion projection outwardly from the stamping and an end portion at right angles thereto.
 6. A combination can opener-type tool made from a single stamping in accordance with claim 1 wherein: the curved portion coupled to the guide portion of the can opener is joined thereto by unitary coupling portions at one end and at an intermediate portion of said curved portion, said elongated aperture being designed for peeling purposes and being spaced a predetermined distance above the guide portion.
 7. A combination can opener-type tool made from a single stamping in accordance with claim 2 further including: pin means extending between the walls formed by the bottle opener and can piercer and a rotatable cork screw having one end mounted to said cork screw normally nesting between said walls when not in use. 